The recent courtroom proceedings involving the 17-year-old suspect in the shooting of San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver Ricky Pearsall have taken a significant turn. According to NBC Bay Area, the teen's attorney, Bob Dunlap, stated yesterday that new video evidence suggests the incident was an attempted robbery rather than an attempt to murder. Dunlap's client, facing charges that include attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic weapon, waived his right to a speedy trial during a recent pretrial hearing.

The defense's position is that the altercation, which happened on August 31 at Union Square, escalated into a struggle where Pearsall reportedly got the better hand of the teen. Authorities note that both parties were wounded during the exchange, with gunfire striking Pearsall in the chest and the suspect in the arm. Despite these severe circumstances, Pearsall has remarkably returned to his team facilities and even honored first responders at the 49ers' season opener.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has charged the young man with several serious offenses, and her office added various gun-related charges as well. As detailed by ABC7 News, Jenkins has not yet decided on whether the juvenile should be tried as an adult, which, in California, requires a court's approval.

Meanwhile, controversy surrounds the suspect regarding another incident—reports about him allegedly brandishing a gun at school before the shooting. Dunlap quickly refuted these claims, stating, "It's false. It's false news. That's a false narrative. He did not have a gun at school. If he had had a gun at school, three things would have happened. He would have been arrested, they would have filed a petition against him and he would have been ejected from the school. None of those things happened," as per ABC7 News. Despite this disclaimer, the suspect does have an existing legal issue in San Joaquin County, which Dunlap refused to speak further about.